Gender ministry reward individuals and organizations advocating against SGBV, urge abusers to report cases

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection (MoGCSP) has awarded exceptional individuals and organizations advocating for the rights of girls and women and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

The awards brought together Development Partners (DPs) including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Implementing Partners (IPs) and other stakeholders.

The awards recognized individuals and organizations in the areas of prevention, prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration and as part of the 16 Days activism of gender based violence against women and girls.

Speaking at the awards night, Minister Designate for the MoGCSP, Hon. Laariba Zuweira Abudu congratulated the awardees for their continuous effort to ensure girls and women are free from violence.

She said girls and women shouldn’t see violence as “normal” but report to the Domestic Victim Violence Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) for prosecution.

She said continents have different issues that affect their populations, wellbeing and development but one thing that affects all continents and countries generally, especially Africa is gender-based violence which includes Intimate Partner Violence, Female Genital Mutilation, Harmful Widowhood Rights, Child Marriages and Forced Marriages amongst others.

These deep cultural and religious practices are in favour of the abuser instead of the abused.

She said this shows the lack of empowerment and support from communities to speak and act against these abuses.

To better respond to these abuses, the Ministry is reviewing its legal frameworks such as the Domestic Violence Act and its Legislative Instrument, the National Domestic Violence Policy and the National Gender Policy amongst others.

The Ministry believes in empowering communities to speak and act appropriately against the various abuses that affect women and girls.

In view of this, the concept of paralegals was introduced in 2019 and so far, over eighty market executives have been empowered with basic knowledge in a legal framework to better respond and assist survivors at the markets and their communities.

This concept she said is intended to be replicated in all regions of the country.

She added that government will not relent in its efforts to provide empowerment opportunities for women and girls as well as support all structures working in the areas of prevention, prosecution and rehabilitation of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

British High Commissioner H.E Harriet Thompson, in a speech read on her behalf lamented that the Affirmative Action Bill of Ghana has not been passed leaving women underrepresented in politics whilst camps for alleged witches continue to linger impacting negatively their physical and mental health.

She said, in all, the commission’s support has continued unabated supporting over 121,000 girls from disadvantaged backgrounds and their parents to stay in school to enable women exercise their social, political and economic rights.

Also on health, the UKAid is saving lives through infant and maternal health programmes.

She said, the commission’s work to strengthen voices at the community level has been engagement, in reducing gender violence through awareness and capacity building of state agencies to prevent and respond.

Development partner, UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency advocating against gender based violence in Ghana and continues to work towards championing the wellbeing of girls and women.

It is committed to delivering its three transformative goals of ensuring zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices.

As part of this year’s 16 Days activism, the UNFPA has supported the Ministry of Gender, IPs and build the capacity of journalists in the advocacy of VAWG.